The Victorian Hatter
by LoveIsSweetMisery
Summary: A year has passed since the day that Alice left Underland and still there is no sign of her return. The Mad Hatter therefore decides to take matters into his own hands and find Alice himself. But how can he cope with victorian society? MH/AK
1. Chapter 1

**The Victorian Hatter...**

**Welcome to my first Alice in Wonderland (2010) fic. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I liked writing it and reviews are greatly appreciated :) **

**Disclaimer: Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland strangely enough does not belong to the fan ficcer!**

The Mad Hatter sat at the table in which he had a tea party every night with his friends the March Hare (Or Thackery as his mother had named him) and the Dormouse Mallymkun. They poured the tea and slurped from the cups as was customary in wonderland. The white Queen, having won the battle, had reinstated the mad hatter as her personal hat designer. He at the moment was in the middle of designing a rather wonderful hat for the garden party of flamingos. The ribbon would be of a bright colour to suit such an occasion. But alas the Hatter was not of a good mood.

"What's up hatter?" The Dormouse Mallymkun asked.

"Well east be east and west be west but still I bore of all this jest." Hatter said back.

"Teas be cakes and cakes be teas." Thackery mumbled. Both Hatter and his small companion ignored this and Mallymkun continued.

"Alice is gone Hatter." Mallymkun said. "And even if she was 'The Alice', she doesn't belong in Underland."

"Yes she frequently called it wonderland in her youth if I remember rightly." The Cheshire cat's voice came from thin air. He appeared in smoke and floated over by Hatter's great top hat. He asked cunningly. "Have you ever considered changing your hat?"

"No." Hatter replied incredulously and held onto his hat. "A man's hat is his legacy."

The Cheshire cat (or Chess as he was fondly known by his friends) grumbled and vanished. He reappeared on a seat next to the March Hare (Thackery) and began to look over the twisted cakes in wonderment. Hatter remained in his sulky mood and did not join in the festivities, and did not even crack a smile when the March Hare (Thackery) began throwing his plates at the Cheshire cat for stealing his sandwich. Of course the cat disappeared every time, and reappeared moments later.

The tea party finished with a round of 'un-happy birthday', joined in by all but the Hatter himself. Chess was the first to leave, excusing himself politely, before disappearing into thin air for a final time. The March Hare Thackery was next to leave and hopped off towards the castle to go sleep on the kitchen floor (though offered a room many a time by the White Queen he refused to sleep anywhere but by his beloved stove). The Dormouse Mallymkun hopped up onto the table and walked over to the Hatter.

"I'll be off then." Mallymkun said. "Will you be ok?"

"I be fine as day is night." He replied back.

"See you tomorrow Hatter." The Dormouse Mallymkun said. She then hopped off the table and called out with her last words. "It is the anniversary of the Frabjous day so be rested. Everyone is expecting to see your Fudderwack in its full glory."

The Mad Hatter slept restlessly that night, though that was not unusual for the mad man. He tossed, and turned then tossed again with memories of that day, the day before and many days previous to that. Days filled with hats, cakes, many unhappy birthdays and rare birthdays before and after that but none of these memories compared to the days in which he had spent with an Alice Kingsley, firstly when she was a young girl of nine and secondly a young woman of ten years senior to her first visit.

She was not a young woman of decorum, but a person of courage. She did not fight with such vigour as Mallymkun but instead worked with precision and mad tranquillity (though this indeed did not make sense to many). She had created such peace in the land after getting rid of the bloody red queen and her tyranny that Hatter thought to himself that truly she must stay to enjoy her winnings. But alas this was of no prevail as she left soon after with a promise of return.

Hatter waited patiently for a day and even remained of the same state for two but by the third day his patience had well and truly worn thin. He consumed and overwhelmed his sense of constant wanting with the cutting and sewing of ribbons and materials to make the most beautiful and well renowned hats in all of Underland. Though as day fell to night and yet another tea party drew to a close he began to ponder the whereabouts of the young woman.

The next day the strange, weird and wonderful inhabitants of Underland flocked to the palace of the White Queen for the promised celebrations. She did not disappoint and the roses were freshly painted with many shades of yellows and oranges. The flamingos sat at the helm of the garden with straightened necks which bowed down to every guest which passed. Hatter walked in accompanied by the Dormouse Mallymkun who looked upon the sight with so much pride that it leaked onto her face.

"Oh Hatter!" She called out with a point of one finger. "Your hat."

The Mad Hatter obliged to her exclamation and turned his head to face her small finger. The White Queen emerged from her doors with a graceful swoop of her left hand to the left and her right to the right. Upon her head was a white lace had with pink ribbons flowing from side to side. A white rose lay in the middle standing there with infinite glory. She let out a small happy sigh and went to greet her people. One of the more eager guests moved forward with such haste that he knocked over the Mad Hatter's Dormouse friend. Mallymkun did not take this sitting down and sprung immediately to her feet. She brandished her sword and swiped it along his ankle.

"Take that!" She shouted.

The crowd member yelped and held his foot. The Hatter wore a small smirk on his face as the man looked around for the perpetrator. Mallymkun stood by where his foot had been with a look of triumph and her sword still pointed at the man. He jumped around for a few minutes longer before looking down. His eyes focused on the small Dormouse.

"You!" He called out.

"Bring it on!" Mallymkun shouted.

"Time to go." The Mad Hatter said picking up his companion, putting her in his hat and began to run from the mad hopping man. He knocked over many of the crowd with his swinging arms, and the hopping man did likewise. Even the White Queen stopped her greeting of the people and turned to face the spectacle. She watched with a gentle smile of wonderment and maybe even of amusement, though she was far too demur to laugh.

The Mad Hatter spilled into the kitchen with Mallymkun in his hat and shut the door on the hopping man. He locked it with a flicker of his hand. A saucepan, of great depth and golden colour, came flying past his head and hit the door. The sound of a falling man ensured. The hatter turned to face his friend who was brandishing a ladle in his hands.

"Hatter what's be you so you come to my abode?" The March Hare shouted.

"An honourable fight which he did not let me finish!" Mallymkun shouted as she struggled in the ribbon.

"All in good time." The Mad Hatter said before fling Mallymkun out of his hat. She flew with much speed and landed on the table. She turned to the Hatter with a look of menacing malice and got out her sword. The March Hare with a gleefully mad smirk picked up a tea cup and flung it in her direction. It landed on top of her and she was soon trapped in her tea cup prison. Thackery let out a mad laugh.

"I'll get you." Mallymkun shouted from her new china surroundings. "I'll get you."

The Mad Hatter placed a wayward scone on the tea cup and took a seat. Thackery threw another tea cup in his direction. The Mad Hatter caught it with one hand with a crooked smile. He put it down and Thackery threw another and then another after that. He caught the first with his right hand and the second in his hat. He placed them all in a line and picked up the three spouted tea pot. He poured the tea sloppily and slammed the tea pot down afterwards.

One hopping man, a cup of tea and many moments later the Mad Hatter found himself in company with the White Queen and her court. Many of them wore his creations and not one of them had a bare head. It was quite a glorious sight. The oldest of the court sat in the corner dipping his watch into tea through hope of slowing down time and the very aging process which so crippled him.

"Ah Hatter my dear friend." The White Queen had greeted him. "Take a seat by me and rest your good feet."

As a loyal subject he bowed and took a seat next to the beautiful woman. He found the celebrations though trivial were much improved with the wine which flowed so freely for such an occasion. He even got merry enough to do such a marvellous Fudderwack that he received a standing ovation from not only the members of the court, but from the staff who sat upon the grand staircase.

He walked out of the court once the celebrations began to draw to a close and headed towards the sword which Alice had used one year prior to this day. Encased in glass and stood by a large painting of Alice battling the Jabberwocky it was truly a thing of glory. He stood over it and examined the blood stained thing with awe. A reflection of a single white rose blocked the Mad Hatter's otherwise perfect view.

"It is quite a sight." The White Queen said.

"Yes a sight it is." The Mad Hatter muttered. He then said with a substantial increase in volume. "A sight of betrayal as the girl whom had wielded it then abandoned those who had stood by her for the land above."

"Tarrant." The White Queen interrupted.

"I'm fine." The Mad Hatter said loudly before repeating more quietly. "I'm fine."

"To lie to a Monarch is an act of treason." The White Queen said with every elegance a lady should have. "You are lucky that it is against my vow to not harm any living creature. If it were my sister your hat would soon be missing your head."

The Mad Hatter remained silent and his face fell. He had nothing more to say which would contribute to the conversation. His eyes were sad but his face held a faint smile. The White Queen put a single delicate hand and turned him to face her. Like the loyal subject he allowed the lady to do so even though she put in insufficient energy to turn him unaided.

"But there is a way in which you could be reunited." She said.

"And how so would that be?" The Mad Hatter said before continuing loudly. "She chose her way and there she must stick through any morals that she still has..."

"Tarrant." She interrupted.

"Sorry." He apologized.

She reached into her long gaping sleeve and retrieved a vile filled with a mysterious liquid. She handed it to the Hatter who grasped it with amazement. He looked up at her with a look of wonder and both eyes wider than the dinner plates on which they had eaten the feast upon.

"Could it be?" He asked.

"I believed that it may come in use at such a situation." She said.

"And if I take this..." He said.

"If you indeed do drink the Jabberwocky blood it shall take you to Alice." She said with a faint smile. Just as he removed the stopper she said. "A word of caution Tarrant, once you take this you may remain over ground indefinitely."

"It is a chance my lady that I must take." The Mad Hatter said. He lifted the vile and toasted it to the queen. He said deeply. "To Alice."

"To Alice." She responded.

He drunk the blood and looked around. How strange was it that the room did nothing but just stand there. The Mad Hatter looked down at the vile. And then it happened...the room and the queen disintegrated into flying particles and he had the illusion of weightlessness. He felt himself being thrown onto a damp, cold and grass laden ground.

His hat had fallen a few meters of his head. The Mad Hatter reached forward to grab it. As he did so the sound of small footsteps came from behind him. A dark shadow formed over him and a gloved hand retrieved his hat. This was most unusual.

"What a novel way to say hello..." A female voice said. He looked up to see Alice, with her golden hair glistening in the sun, in a long flattering silk dress. She held his hat in her hands as she said. "But then again...who wants to be normal?"

**There we go a chapter done, dusted and proof read by a magic machine!**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Victorian Hatter...**

**Hatter is in 'Upperland' and has finally met Alice but how will he deal with such a prim and proper society.**

**Thank you so much to fairfarrenlovelylydia (I've made some alterations to the first chapter and shall put it up when I update the fic) and nataa for reviewing. **

**Sorry for my lateness- end of school daze *dreamy eyes***

**Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Wonderland is not mine.**

"Alice." Was all the Mad Hatter could say to such an event.

"Hello my dear friend." She responded. "What brings you to upperland?"

"I've come to see you." The Mad Hatter said scrambling to his feet. He then looked her up and down and said. "My my, the clothes here differ from down below."

"I shall take that as a compliment." She said with a smile. "Do you wish to come inside?"

He looked around for moments and noticed that he was only surrounded by trees, tall imposing and dare he say it- non verbal trees. It seemed inconceivable to him that either he or Alice, despite her being of a small frame, could fit into the bark trunks. He looked around and saw many a bush, and even a flower or two. She handed him his hat and he took it graciously. He then took note of his surroundings and said his next comment with conviction.

"You live here?" He asked.

"No not quite yet." She said calmly. "But I am thinking of buying it though for myself and mama."

"And when in these plans where you planning to return to Underland?" The Mad Hatter said and with a far angrier tone he added. "Or was your promise one of a falsehood?"

"Hatter!" She called out.

"I'm fine." He said loudly and then added with a voice little more than a whisper. "Fine."

"Come inside." She said.

The Mad Hatter took one look at her, to show his despair, but she appeared to ignore that. She walked past many a tree, some of fine quality and others which looked destined to be firewood within the week. It took a many a pace before the sunlight began to show through the densely forested area. The Mad Hatter stopped as they reached the end of the forest. His eyes widened to a size no less than dinner plates, and he examined the estate in all of its glory.

"This is most magnificent." He commented quietly.

"Quite." Alice said reservedly. "This is the estate of my business partner."

"Your business partner?" He said to her.

"Lord Ascot." She said. "He is a most magnificent man."

The Mad Hatter's eyes directed immediately to her. Had he come too late? Had Alice, The Alice, already become aquatinted and courted this Lord ascot. She did imply that she would soon take residence at this grand establishment but he comforted himself with memories of her mention of money. It was hopefully a transaction of monetary benefit rather than one of passion.

Alice looked at her friend and gave him a simple smile. She did not smile as she did in Underland, as it was far less wide and only few of her teeth were on show. She carried herself with elegance above the surface and moved with the decorum of a lady. Alice walked ahead towards the green and he followed her footing with precision. Members of her household, some who appeared guests and others who were there on business manners, all stopped their activities to stare at her, and of course at her new house guest. A plump woman, of around thirty years of age, came bumbling up to them carrying a stack of freshly laundered towels.

"Miss Alice..." She stuttered. "Will your...guest...be staying with us tonight?"

"If that is of convenience." Alice said. "I am aware that he came without warning but he has travelled many a mile and he is a dear friend of mine."

"Of course Miss Alice, of course." The plump woman said. She then added with much haste. "Do you wish me to show him to his room, as Lord Ascot has requested an audience with you as soon as possible?"

"That would be most kind thank you." Alice said. She turned to the Mad Hatter and gave him that simple smile again as she said in a silver polished accent. "I shan't be long."

The Mad Hatter responded with merely one nod of his head. He was led by the plump woman through French doors into a large grand entrance. The walls were imposing and many portraits of what the Mad Hatter assumed were Lord Ascot and his family stared down at him. The room was not comfortable, despite many furnishings which attempted to do so. The plump woman rushed in the same way that every uniformed member of the staff did so, and she did not dare to look him in the eye.

He was presented with his room five minutes after his first encounter with the pint size woman. It was a room of fair size, though compared to the other rooms of the house it was considered to be modest, and a large four poster bed took up much of the space. There was a large oak dressing table which sat by the window and an oak dresser which accompanied a mirror on the north facing wall of the room.

"I hope this be to your liking sir." The plump woman said with her stutter.

The Mad Hatter turned to her and gave her a glum smile. He took off his hat and walked into the room, inspecting every nook and cranny with much precision. He then turned to the woman and said clearly.

"It is most agreeable, thank you."

She left without another word uttered and allowed the Mad Hatter to absorb his surroundings with merely his thoughts for company. He did not dislike the room, if anything he found it of a splendid quality, but as he ventured further and further into its helm, he could not help but feel that his appearance was not one which suited the surroundings. As the clock stuck two he felt a sudden urge to rip down the velvet curtains and make a glorious hat to sit upon Alice's golden curls. Fortune however was on the side of him, as a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Hatter." A soft feminine voice beckoned him.

The Mad Hatter turned to face this voice which possessed both a familiar and unfamiliar tone at once- though he knew this to be an impossibility.

"We are to take afternoon tea shortly." Alice said, pacing towards the Mad Hatter. She then added with a face of content. "It must be most delightful if you were to join us."

"Of course madam." He replied back.

"Hatter, as a guest in this estate, I require you abide by one rule, and one rule alone." Alice said, she stopped mere meters away from him.

"And what is that?" The Mad Hatter said.

"You are never to address me as madam again." She said, a youthful smile gracing her face. "It is far too aged, and reminds me rather of my mother and my governess. I hope, as of yet, I do not require such a title."

"Certainly." The Mad Hatter said. "That is a modest request for such a grand lady of the manor."

"Well I hope I am of a modest temperament." She said calmly. "One wishes that they shall never wander into the realm of conceit with a false sense of superiority."

Half an hour later the Mad Hatter took a seat next to Alice in the dining hall. Upon the table were cakes of all sorts and colours. They were not like the cakes of underland as they stood there with the same grace in which people carried themselves in this strange land. The people around the table did not grab for the cakes and instead sat with their backs straight and looks of contempt on their faces. A small china cup and saucer was placed in front of him, and a well proportioned butler poured the tea out of a bone china tea pot. Overall it was of a much more sombre nature that the Mad Hatter cared for. It was to be the Lord of the manor who was to break this most uncomfortable silence.

"So Mr..." Lord Ascot said.

"Tarrant." The Mad Hatter replied on cue.

"Mr Tarrant, if this is not too intrusive, would you tell us of your profession?" Lord Ascot said in the most gentlemanly of ways.

"I design fine hats." The Mad Hatter replied in a poor mimic of this tone. "My latest creation sat upon my Queen's head for a most important occasion."

"For Queen Victoria?" The stuffy gentleman next to Lord Ascot boomed, he continued in his loud voice. "That is of a great honour."

"No, Hatter does reside in England Lord Turner." Alice interrupted, she then added with delicate precision. "He only arrived in our fair country mere hours ago."

"I thought you looked rather off colour." The stuffy gentleman continued. He asked in what appeared to be of a concerned nature. "Was it an unpleasant ride upon our sea?"

It appeared bizarre to that Hatter that people were capable of owing such vast amounts of water which were beyond their control but he felt it right not to comment on this. He gave a small smile with minimal exposure of his crooked teeth and said truthfully.

"Not of such your Lordship for I did not travel by boat."

"You are not suggesting that you swam over the choppy seas." Lord Ascot scoffed.

"I had no such intentions your lordship." The Mad Hatter responded, he took a gentle sip of tea, before continuing. "That would be most absurd."

"Quite." Lord Ascot said. "So what business brings you to the British Isles?"

"He was interested in finding new materials for his hat company." Alice interrupted through fear of what the Mad Hatter may respond.

"Indeed." The Mad Hatter agreed, though he knew this to be false.

"Ah a fine choice my fellow." The Lord Ascot said. He then boomed to the entire table. "We produce the finest ribbon here, do you not think?"

The whole room murmured in agreement and even the staff dared to nod at that comment. The Mad Hatter nodded as well and answered in a way fitting to such a situation.

"It is quite extraordinary." The Mad Hatter said. "But I shall not inconvenience you for long for I must return to my homeland shortly."

"Well stay for however long as you reside in our fair Queen's land." Lord Ascot said loudly, before adding in a theatrical tone. "An acquaintance of my business partner is a friend of mine."

The Mad Hatter stood with Alice and the other guests of Lord Ascot as they embarked on a game of croquet. It was different to that of Underland, and therefore became a game of leisure rather than that of enjoyment. The rules remained the same but the way in which a player was expected to behave was rather of the same sombre tone which he had endured during the afternoon tea. A joke in the presence of the gentlemen and their suitors, was a rarity and as of yet none of the remarks were humorous enough to wipe the impeding sense of displacement that the Hatter had felt since he arrived.

He adjourned to his room shortly after the last game had been played and was greeted by the sight of a freshly pressed suit, and a dress shirt to match. A bow tie sit on his dressing table and a tailed coat hung over the chair with pride. He walked over to them with little joy and stroked his hands across them.

"Too much starch." He commented quietly to himself. His voice was of a slightly angered temperament as he added. "It is as stiff as the people of this establishment."

His eyes were then drawn to a top hat which was place on the pillow of his bed. It was a dull hat, with no ribbon to break the never ending swamp of black velvet. It was of a luxurious make, but even that could not distract the eye from the lack of character which the hat possessed. He dressed in the suit, wearing every item with the same uniformity as the other men of whom he had met. He did not however change his hat and walked out with pride that he had done so.

From the neck down one would have not recognized the Mad Hatter, even if you were to be considered one of his dear friends. As he looked at himself in an ornate mirror placed so precisely at the side of the hall his face fell into a strange smile. It was not like the smile which he worn since childhood, a smile which had possessed true joy and freedom, but it was a smile of repression and contentment of his new status. He had no means of escaping the class ridden society in which he found himself trapped he felt that his stay would be a short one for to stay in such a place risked been infected with the mind forged manacles which so suppressed 'The Alice.'

**Second chapter finally done! Sorry for the delay and the next one shall be along shortly (am on holiday now so can write during the day :) ). **


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